]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/spy-videos/megane-rs-trophy-r-sets-lap-record-12790/feed0Nurburgring lap record Renault Megane Trophy-R in NZ next yearhttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/nurburgring-lap-record-renault-megane-trophy-r-in-nz-next-year-12783
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/nurburgring-lap-record-renault-megane-trophy-r-in-nz-next-year-12783#commentsThu, 23 May 2019 01:36:50 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12783The Renault Megane RS Trophy-R, the front-drive performance hatchback that has just set the lap record (see video below) for its class around Germany’s Nurburgring circuit, will go on sale in New Zealand early next year. “We haven’t got any exact dates yet but the Trophy-R will be here in the New Year,” said Renault [&hellip

]]>The Renault Megane RS Trophy-R, the front-drive performance hatchback that has just set the lap record (see video below) for its class around Germany’s Nurburgring circuit, will go on sale in New Zealand early next year.

“We haven’t got any exact dates yet but the Trophy-R will be here in the New Year,” said Renault NZ spokesman Sal Marti.

The limited-edition variant won’t be the only Megane RS on offer either. “We’re going to cater for every Megane RS taste,” he said.

The five-door line-up consists of the RS Sport and RS Cup, which went on sale here in March, the RS Trophy and the RS Trophy-R. The Sport and the Cup both run a boosted 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder engine delivering 205kW/390Nm.

The difference between the two is mostly the Cup’s $1800 performance package, which adds beefier brakes, a limited-slip differential, and stiffer suspension.

The Trophy and Trophy-R are different beasts altogether. Both run the same 1.8-litre engine, reworked to deliver 223kW. But Renault engineers slashed 130kg from the Trophy-R’s weight, re-tuned its chassis, and adopted performance parts from the likes of Akrapovic (exhaust), Ohlins (shocks), Sabelt (seating), Brembo (brakes), and Bridgestone (tyres).

Engineers also fitted the Trophy-R’s turbo with Formula One-style ceramic ball bearings, which engineers say cuts friction by more than 30 per cent over a traditional system. The change allows the turbo to spool up faster, cutting turbo lag and boosting acceleration.

It is the weight loss and quicker-acting turbo that the same engineers say helped the Trophy-R overtake the Honda Civic Type R as the fastest performance hatchback around Nurburgring.

The Trophy-R, driven by Renault Formula One team pilot Nico Hulkenberg (pictured above), completed an official full lap of the Nurburgring in 7 minutes 40.1 seconds, three seconds quicker than the Honda Civic Type R’s 7 minutes 43.8 seconds.

No word yet on NZ price or build numbers for the Trophy-R. The standard Megane RS Sport costs $59,990 for the six-speed manual and $62,990 for the dual-clutch automatic. The RS Cup car is $1800 on top of that.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/nurburgring-lap-record-renault-megane-trophy-r-in-nz-next-year-12783/feed0Going camping in trailer made out of composite of chicken feathershttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/going-camping-in-trailer-made-out-of-composite-of-chicken-feathers-12769
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/going-camping-in-trailer-made-out-of-composite-of-chicken-feathers-12769#commentsTue, 21 May 2019 23:41:00 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12769Teardrop camping trailers are nothing new – but one made largely by hand out of a composite of chicken feathers certainly is. It’s called the Earth Traveler T250LX, a single-axle trailer weighing just 135kg and built by the Earth Traveler company in the US state of New Mexico. The adaptable four-person living shelter has strength [&hellip

Earth Traveler is aiming the trailer at the electric vehicle (EV) market, where its light weight won’t burden an EV’s battery range as much as a heavier trailer. Price starts at US$10,000.

Getting a leg up in an outback tent

There’s an obvious downside to a rooftop tent – getting in and out of it in the middle of the night to find the campground toilet, for instance, or scrambling to find a convenient bush.

There are other disadvantages, too, like extra wind resistance when you and your now top-heavy SUV are on the move.

Nevertheless, the rooftop tent has found a place with off-roaders, especially overlanders making their way through deserts and backwoods areas in the United States.

The tents are even appearing in the Aussie Outback, isolating occupants above creepy-crawlies like Mulga snakes.

Now California start-up company Rubicon Expedition Products has come up with compromise accommodation called the Hitch Tent Rack System, a fold-up steel and aluminium frame with four telescopic legs that hitches to the towball and is carried upright behind the tailgate, thereby cutting wind resistance.

The company says nothing about obscuring the driver’s view in the vehicle’s rear-view mirror however. Anyway, the system drops the contraption down to tow level, leaving it as a freestanding structure and freeing up the vehicle for day trips. With a rooftop set-up of course you have to pack down the tent every time you want to use the vehicle.

The telescopic legs fold out and adjust in height to level the tent out on almost any terrain. The platform holds up to 272kg.

The system retains many of the benefits of rooftop tens – like keeping occupants above ground and sleeping where you find a suitable park – but does away with the top-heavy downsides.

The Hitch Tent system has just been unveiled in the US. Pre-orders opened immediately, from US$1200. That’s just for the platform – the three-person tent is extra.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/going-camping-in-trailer-made-out-of-composite-of-chicken-feathers-12769/feed0‘Seamless’ wheels on Citroen EV concept marry rims and rubberhttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/seamless-wheels-on-citroen-ev-concept-marry-rims-and-rubber-12758
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/seamless-wheels-on-citroen-ev-concept-marry-rims-and-rubber-12758#commentsThu, 16 May 2019 01:50:06 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12758Citroen challenged tyre giant Goodyear to come up with tall and narrow wheels for the Citroen 19_19, an all-electric SUV concept designed to celebrate the French carmaker’s 100th birthday and showcase styling and technology that could underpin its future. It wanted the end result to appear as though the wheels were independent from the body [&hellip

]]>Citroen challenged tyre giant Goodyear to come up with tall and narrow wheels for the Citroen 19_19, an all-electric SUV concept designed to celebrate the French carmaker’s 100th birthday and showcase styling and technology that could underpin its future.

It wanted the end result to appear as though the wheels were independent from the body of the all-wheel-drive SUV, and that passengers were being borne along by a car that appears to fly over the road on independent spheres. Citroen dubbed its concept a “UFO in the automotive sector.”

What Goodyear delivered has been called a revolutionary hybrid design, where the rubber tyre is sealed not inside the alloy wheel rim, but outside it, creating what Citroen calls “seamless continuity between the rim and the tyre.”

Further, the Goodyear design allows Citroen’s special centenary logo on the hub of each of the four 30-inch wheels to remain horizontal at all times, whether the car is standing still or on the move.

Further still, both Citroen and Goodyear say the wheel-tyre hybrid improves “acoustic comfort” for passengers, where less tyre roar makes its way into the cabin. The wheels are 930mm wide and shod with 255/30 R30 rubber.

The huge wheels and wheelarches move independently of the main body, with markers displaying the amount of suspension travel on rough terrain.

Sensors help the 19_19 Concept ‘pre-read’ the road ahead and adjust the suspension accordingly, while cameras enable autonomous driving.

The 19_19 concept is 4655mm long, 2240mm wide, 1600mm high, and has a 3100mm wheelbase. It follows the Ami One study car revealed at the Geneva show in March. Elements of both concepts could feature on a new Citroen hybrid due in 2021.

In the 19_19, a 100kWh battery pack returns a theoretical range of about 800km. A wireless induction charger under the car’s floor allows the concept’s battery pack to be topped up on the move from roads fitted with the same technology. On roads without it, Citroen says 600km can be recovered from quick charge stations in 20 minutes.

Two electric motors – one on each axle – deliver 340kW and 800Nm of torque, for a 0-100km/h time of five seconds and a top speed of 200km/h.

The exterior design has several unconventional features: an absence of bumpers at the front or rear, as well as rear-hinged doors and exposed axles housing the electric motors. Full-length LED headlights and tail-lights are more recognisable elements.

Inside, the concept features three types of seat: a thick-padded, single seat for the driver, a chaise lounge in the front passenger area, and a two-seat sofa in the rear.

The latter is backed by elastic strings designed to look like Citroen’s logo, also allowing passengers to retrieve items from the boot.

The striking purple-and-pink colour scheme used on most of the surfaces is joined by a white, marble-effect central storage pillar and steering wheel.

Citroen says real marble would be too heavy, but the resin material has a similar appearance that can also be shaped into buttons and controls – the gear selector being the most notable example.

The dashboard features a head-up display that incorporates augmented reality, while a clear opening in the front of the car lets light into the footwell and helps brighten the interior.

Autonomous mode activates the voice-operated ‘Hello Citroen’ system, which slides up from underneath the dashboard.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/seamless-wheels-on-citroen-ev-concept-marry-rims-and-rubber-12758/feed0Audi previews all-electric e-tron SUV with left-hook NZ road showhttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/audi-previews-all-electric-e-tron-suv-with-left-hook-nz-road-show-12747
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/audi-previews-all-electric-e-tron-suv-with-left-hook-nz-road-show-12747#commentsTue, 07 May 2019 20:53:03 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12747Audi is preparing another road show for its stakeholders in New Zealand, this time with four left-hand drive examples of the e-tron, Audi’s first all-electric SUV. The EV cars are due to land in Auckland in the next few days, before being made ready for their public appearances from June 6 as a prelude to [&hellip

]]>Audi is preparing another road show for its stakeholders in New Zealand, this time with four left-hand drive examples of the e-tron, Audi’s first all-electric SUV.

The EV cars are due to land in Auckland in the next few days, before being made ready for their public appearances from June 6 as a prelude to the arrival later in the year of NZ-spec, right-hand drive models.

“The right-hand drive models are being built right now,” said Audi NZ general manager Dean Sheed. “New Zealand will be the first country in Asia-Pacific to get the e-tron.”

The e-tron SUV introduces electric all-wheel-drive (AWD), a new generation of Audi’s signature quattro system. There’s an electric motor working on each axle, both powered by a 95kw/h battery pack under the floor and between the wheels.

The rear motor is slightly more powerful than the front, a deliberate powertrain placement to give the e-tron a rear-drive bias in normal running. When needed, the AWD system can distribute torque to both axles in an instant.

The front motor delivers 139kW/309NM; the rear 125kW/236Nm, for a total output of 264kW/545Nm. But a boost mode pushes output to 300kW/664Nm for eight seconds of sustained acceleration.

Audi claims a range for a fully charged e-tron of upwards of 400km. It says the SUV sprints from 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 200km/h.

Tests in Europe have shown the car’s get-up-and-go is not as quick as its main rivals the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace. One reason is its weight – e-tron is 2.5-tonnes, Model X and I-Pace are around 2-tonnes. The e-tron battery pack alone weighs 700kg.

The new EV is longer than an Audi Q5 but shorter than a Q7. Its height is adjustable by 76mm, aiding getting in and out and mild off-road running. It seats five and has a large 605-litre boot. Key equipment includes adaptive air suspension, LED headlights, 360 degree cameras, keyless and charging points on both sides of the vehicle.

Options include a world-first: e-tron is available with side cameras instead of mirrors. These display their information on touchscreen panels (pictured above) in the doors themselves. The panels can then be used to fine-tune the view, including a wider angle for use on the motorway.

While Audi is committed to emissions-free driving, its CEO Bram Schot (pictured below) has said there is concern about the continued supply of batteries and other vital EV components.

That’s why the carmaker wants to speed up development of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Schot has pledged to “put more priority in hydrogen fuel cells – more money, more capacity of people and more confidence.”

Audi’s hydrogen concept car will be revealed by the end of the year. It will be followed in 2021 by a limited production model with a battery pack good for around 150km of pure electric driving. Like earlier hydrogen models from Honda and Toyota, the Audi car will likely be available only on lease.

The hydrogen fuel cell technology for the both the upcoming concept and production vehicle will come from Audi’s fuel cell partnership with Hyundai announced last year.

Said Audi NZ boss Sheed of the collaboration: “If the might of the two brands, Audi and Hyundai, can’t sort out fuel cell vehicles I’m not sure who can.”

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/audi-previews-all-electric-e-tron-suv-with-left-hook-nz-road-show-12747/feed0Ford-Rivian link: next stop NZ for all-electric lifestyle vehicles?http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/ford-rivian-link-next-stop-nz-electric-lifestyle-vehicles-12733
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/ford-rivian-link-next-stop-nz-electric-lifestyle-vehicles-12733#commentsSun, 05 May 2019 00:59:41 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12733Will American start-up company Rivian Automotive sell its battery-electric SUVs and utes in New Zealand now that it has confirmed production for Australia? If so, will they be sold through an independent Rivian outlet? Or will they, now that Ford HQ in Detroit has taken a US$500 million stake in Rivian, be sold as premium [&hellip

]]>Will American start-up company Rivian Automotive sell its battery-electric SUVs and utes in New Zealand now that it has confirmed production for Australia?

If so, will they be sold through an independent Rivian outlet? Or will they, now that Ford HQ in Detroit has taken a US$500 million stake in Rivian, be sold as premium models via select Ford dealerships in New Zealand? In the US, the R1T double-cab ute is priced at US$69,000 and the seven-seat R1S SUV at US$74,000.

Part of the collaboration agreement, say US reports, is that Ford will allow Tesla rival Rivian to move ahead with plans to develop its own brand and dealer network. But that might apply only to the North American market.

Regardless, allowing Rivian to pretty much chart its own path was the deciding factor in Ford clinching the deal. General Motors had been talking to Rivian for some time, but GM wanted exclusive rights to Rivian’s technology.

Either that or no deal, GM was reported to have told Rivian. That opened the door for Ford. One of its board members was a personal friend and classmate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology of Rivian CEO R J Scaringe (pictured below). The agreement Ford made was also said to permit Rivian to deal with other automotive companies.

Rivian’s chief engineer Brian Gase has said he wants to get the R1T ute and R1S SUV built for the Australian market as soon as possible.

“Yes, we will have an Australian launch – the ‘when’ is a tough question,” said Gase. Global production will depend largely on Rivian upscaling the former Mitsubishi plant it bought for US$16m last year in the American state of Illinois.

Reports in the US says the facility has a production capacity of about 250,000 vehicles a year. Rivian has said it hopes to sell between 70,000 and 80,000 of its R1T and R1S models annually.

Gase himself said the R1T will have no trouble towing or going off-road. “We have really focused on the off-road capability of these vehicles,” he told media sites.

“We have 14-inches (350mm) of dynamic ground clearance, we have a structural underbody, we have all-time all-wheel drive so we can go up 45-degree inclines.

“I can tow 10,000-pounds (4500kg). I’ve got a tent that I can throw on to the back of the truck, I’ve got 400-miles (640km) of range. I can do anything another vehicle can do, and then some.” Payload for the R1T tray is 800kg.

Ford’s US$500 million stake in Rivian is the latest example of a large carmaker betting on the emergence of battery-powered vehicles. Ford CEO Jim Hackett told US media the investment is “consistent” with Ford’s own EV programme.

Ford last year said it would invest US$11 billion to develop battery-based vehicles, including hybrids, plug-ins and pure EVs. The US$500m deal with Rivian will come on top of that.

Rivian will use its Illinois plant to produce the platforms Ford plans to use. They will then be shipped to a Ford assembly plant for the rest of the assembly process.

“Ford is going to use Rivian’s flexible skateboard platform to develop an all-new, next-generation battery-electric vehicle,” Hackett said. The deal would include plans for Ford to co-develop new plug-in electric models with Rivian, all based on the same platform, which underpins both the R1T and R1S.

The advantages of such a design is that batteries, motors and other key components are mounted below the platform, making it easier for Rivian to engineer both left- and right-hand drive models. The four electric motors, one at each wheel, make a claimed 560kW of power and 1120Nm of torque.

The layout not only lowers a vehicle’s center of gravity for improved handling, but it frees up the space normally taken by an engine compartment. Both the R1T and R1S, for example, have what American media is calling “frunks,” or front-mounted trunks. Will New Zealanders call them “fboots?”

Rivian is also developing vehicles for Amazon. It announced a separate, US$700 million investment deal in February with a consortium led by the online retailer. The electric carmaker is believed to be working on a delivery truck for Amazon.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/ford-rivian-link-next-stop-nz-electric-lifestyle-vehicles-12733/feed02020 Subaru Outback: boosted flat-four replaces 3.6-litre unithttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/2020-subaru-outback-boosted-flat-four-replaces-3-6-litre-unit-12718
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/2020-subaru-outback-boosted-flat-four-replaces-3-6-litre-unit-12718#commentsSat, 20 Apr 2019 02:39:35 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12718Japanese all-wheel-drive specialist Subaru has ditched its 3.6-litre flat-six engine in favour of a more powerful and thriftier turbocharged 2.4-litre flat-four for its premium sixth-generation Outback SUV, which is expected to go on sale in New Zealand later next year. The big difference between the two engines is not so much in terms of kilowatts [&hellip

]]>Japanese all-wheel-drive specialist Subaru has ditched its 3.6-litre flat-six engine in favour of a more powerful and thriftier turbocharged 2.4-litre flat-four for its premium sixth-generation Outback SUV, which is expected to go on sale in New Zealand later next year.

The big difference between the two engines is not so much in terms of kilowatts but in the delivery of torque. The outgoing naturally aspirated six generates 191kW at 6000rpm and 350Nm at 4400rpm; the new boosted four delivers 194kW at 5600rpm and 370Nm at 2000rpm.

It’s the first time in around 10 years that Outback gets an engine with forced induction. The new Outback was unveiled at the New York motor show, where Subaru said it would be available in North America with either the new 2.4-litre or an updated version of the existing, naturally aspirated 2.5-litre flat-four.

The direct-injection 2.5-litre engine is almost 90 per cent new, says Subaru, and delivers 135kW at 5800rpm and 235Nm at 4400rpm. It’s claiming fuel use of between 9 and 12 litres/100km for the boosted 2.4-litre engine and 8 and 11 litres/100km for the 2.5-litre.

Outback 2020 is based on the Subaru Global Platform, first used on the Impreza in 2017. Subaru says the Outback structure is 70 per cent stiffer in both torsional and front-suspension rigidity and, compared to the outgoing platform, 100 per cent stiffer in both front and rear subframe rigidity. The new Outback body absorbs over 40 per cent more energy in front/side crashes than the current model.

Outback’s suspension system has also been reworked to be lighter and more responsive. MacPherson struts up front get new internal rebound springs, aluminum lower L-arms and new 23mm hollow stabiliser bar. The rear double-wishbone layout comprises subframe, coil springs and new 19mm hollow stabiliser bar.

Ground clearance remains at 22cm but braked towing capacity, on the premium boosted model at least, raises to just short of 1600kg. The X-Mode system, which optimises off-road going, is standard equipment.

Standard also is Subaru’s EyeSight, a driver assist technology considered one of the most complete in the automotive world. Depending on model, it comes with adaptive cruise control and a host of other safety aids, including cameras providing facial recognition and a view of the road ahead.

Inside, Outback takes what New York show-goers say is a Tesla-esque leap into the future. All but the entry-level model get a 30cm touchscreen oriented vertically like an iPad.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/2020-subaru-outback-boosted-flat-four-replaces-3-6-litre-unit-12718/feed0New Jeep Wrangler: the price disparity between NZ and Ozhttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/new-jeep-wrangler-the-price-disparity-between-nz-and-oz-12708
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/new-jeep-wrangler-the-price-disparity-between-nz-and-oz-12708#commentsThu, 11 Apr 2019 08:46:36 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12708Why are Jeep importers Fiat Chrysler New Zealand (FCNZ) asking between NZ$16,000 and NZ$25,000 more than the Australians for the new Wrangler JL, a vehicle that is essentially an update of the outgoing JK model, albeit with more high-tech stuff? FCNZ has priced the premium Wrangler JL, the four-door Unlimited Rubicon, at NZ$92,990 – the [&hellip

]]>Why are Jeep importers Fiat Chrysler New Zealand (FCNZ) asking between NZ$16,000 and NZ$25,000 more than the Australians for the new Wrangler JL, a vehicle that is essentially an update of the outgoing JK model, albeit with more high-tech stuff?

FCNZ has priced the premium Wrangler JL, the four-door Unlimited Rubicon, at NZ$92,990 – the Australians have it for the equivalent of NZ$68,000. Wherein lies the NZ$25,000 difference?

The price of the entry-level two-door Wrangler Sport S across the ditch is the equivalent of NZ$51,500 – FCNZ wants NZ$67,990 for it. Wherein lies the NZ$16,000 difference?

The five Wrangler JL models that New Zealand will get on June 1 are pretty much identical to those the Australians will get. A bit of spec here and there perhaps might be the difference, but that’s it.

Here are the prices: the first figure is the Australian retail price, the second, in brackets, is the NZ equivalent, at the current exchange rate of .95c, and the third is FCNZ’s recommended retail price. On-road costs are extra.

FCNZ general manager Lawrie Malatios says pricing for the Wrangler JL reflects the scale of the total local market and the costs of supplying and supporting the new model in New Zealand.

“The Australian market works on both a very different scale of the total market, and the fact that there is a much larger number of Jeep products on the road in Australia than in New Zealand, all of which feeds into a different pricing structure,” he said.

“We have worked to negotiate the best possible pricing for New Zealand and this is an ongoing and constant process that reflects changes in currency and local market demand, for both total market size and New Zealand Jeep sales.”

FCNZ has left out from the JL line-up the hard-core, two-door Wrangler Rubicon. It has also omitted the optional turbo-diesel powerplant, a 2.2-litre Fiat Multijet II unit delivering 147kW/347Nm. Australians get the V6 petrol and the oil-burner.

Of the diesel, Malatios says: “The diesel market is very unpredictable at the moment and we are deciding what role the diesel version will play in the Wrangler JL in New Zealand.”

Of the two-door Rubicon: “Our customers have said they want this remarkably capable version with four doors so they can fully exploit its go-anywhere ability and have space for people and equipment to enjoy remote activities.

“Should there be demand for the two-door, which we don’t see at the moment, it may be added at a later date.”

Based on FCNZ pricing, a two-door Rubicon JL would roughly be around NZ$88,000. That’s NZ$22,000 more than the NZ$65,990 dealers have on their books for the outgoing JK model Rubicon.

]]>http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/new-jeep-wrangler-the-price-disparity-between-nz-and-oz-12708/feed0Kiwis miss out on special 70th birthday Land Roverhttp://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/kiwis-miss-out-on-special-70th-birthday-land-rover-12696
http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/industry-news/kiwis-miss-out-on-special-70th-birthday-land-rover-12696#commentsThu, 04 Apr 2019 01:19:29 +0000http://www.automotivenews.co.nz/?p=12696This is the Land Rover that a handful of New Zealanders wanted but missed out on, because all 150 special editions celebrating the company’s 70th anniversary were snapped up, many by international investors. Investors? The rough and tumble Defender is not exactly blue-chip stock. But here’s the thing: the price for either the three-door Defender [&hellip

]]>This is the Land Rover that a handful of New Zealanders wanted but missed out on, because all 150 special editions celebrating the company’s 70th anniversary were snapped up, many by international investors.

Investors? The rough and tumble Defender is not exactly blue-chip stock. But here’s the thing: the price for either the three-door Defender 90 or five-door Defender 110, in right- or left-hand drive, started at £150,000, or NZ$288,000, around four times the price of the standard Defender.

Even buyers resident in the USA, where neither standard 90 or 110 models can be imported and registered for use until they are 25 years old, paid around US$207,000 to future-proof the 70th birthday Defenders.

Land Rover apparently received around 10 inquiries from well-heeled New Zealanders when the company announced the special edition models last year. But the international order book quickly filled up and the few NZ hopefuls missed out.

Why the rush? Because all 150 Defenders are equipped with a V8 petrol engine, a production first since Land Rover’s 30th anniversary in 1979 and its 50th in 1999. The V8 alone prompted one American motoring website to write:

“There’s no denying the US loves a good overlander (especially the Defender), not to mention burly V8 engines, so to not be able to get the last of the old Defenders in America is kinda depressing.

“One thing is for sure though, 25 years from now, these special edition Defenders will cost a heck of a lot more than $200,000 when they make their way to our shores as classics.”

The V8 engine, a 5.0-litre unit from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), delivers 297kW/515Nm and is mated to a ZF eight-speed gearbox with sport mode. The fulltime four-wheel-drive 70th Defender uses a dual-speed transfer box and centre differential to shift up to 90 per cent of torque to the front or rear axle as required. JLR claims a 0-100km/h sprint time for the Defender of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 170km/h.